Following Jesus isn’t a charmed life, it’s a changed life

She’s comfortable in her skin.

Those are the words the radio host said as she introduced me to her listeners.

I want to introduce Suzie Eller, a woman who is the most comfortable in her skin of anyone I’ve ever met.

I almost missed my cue. Her words took me by surprise.

What surprised me the most is that they are true — and believe me they didn’t used to be.

There was a time that I was in my twenties and insecurity was my trademark. I hid it well, but it surfaced at all the wrong times. It made me hold on to things that weren’t healthy, like doubt or uninvited guilt.

It made me question myself, rather than just settle in and live life fully.

When did the insecurity leave?

It left in bits and pieces, usually in the harder places of my faith.

The more I depended on God — because I didn’t have the answers, or because it was way bigger than me — the more I learned about myself.

I was strong, in Him.

I was resilient, because of my faith.

God saw things inside of me that I could not, and trials and storms brought them out.

This was my silver lining.

You and I were never promised a comfortable life,

but we are promised a changed life as we follow Jesus.

When I look at who I became in those harder places, I wouldn’t trade them for anything. Now, let’s be real. That’s easier to say when you are on the other side of the storm. ♥

So we hold on to the Word when we are in a trial.

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:2-4 (NLT)

Perfect. Complete. Needing nothing.

Is that the same as feeling comfortable in your skin?

I think it might. We’re still human. We’ll always need Jesus and depend on Him. We’ll make mistakes and find mercy as we confess and grow through them.

Yet, we know where our strength comes from.

We know where to go.

We rest in our faith and celebrate in His goodness.

Hey, that excites me!

That’s what is available to all of us, and it can be our greatest surprise in the storm. You and I can come out on the other side of a trial stronger, our endurance greater, and our trust in Him our greatest treasure.

Share one surprise that came out of your greatest trial. Let’s celebrate that together!

Suzie

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8 Comments

Michele O'Leary on August 23, 2016 at 5:48 am

Five years ago, a huge landslide took our backyard. Due to the instability of the land, our home was deemed condemned for two years. In the midst of the battle of who and how the land was going to get repaired, God was always faithful…always present. My husband and I leaned hard into Him during this unimaginable trial. During the two years we gained a tribe of friends. They circled around us, lifted us up, supported us and went to battle for us if needed. God opened up a way for us to buy another home, He stopped us from going into bankruptcy and the $550,000.00 cost to repair the land was fixed on a $139,000.00 budget (which was raised by our community). Some of my dearest friends came out of one of the biggest trials of my life. My husband and me, along with our family, church and community witnessed a modern day miracle. It warms my heart when I sit back, dig deep into the emotions from five years ago. God was always there, each day…each moment. He calmed the winds and waves of the storm. He is amazing.

Love this, Suzie. I too, was an insecure young woman as I forged my way into adulthood. Those of us who aren’t “comfortable in their own skin” can spot it in a second in other women who seemingly are. I wanted that. I chased after that. I never connected being complete in Him with being comfortable in my own skin, thank you for that correlation. My current valley? Being transferred away from home, children, mom, friends, and church. Isolation and utter alone-ness threatened to steal my joy. But, God met me right there; as He always does. He’s so faithful to us. And He perfected my trust in Him. I will never again doubt His presence with me. Yay though I walk through the valley …, You are with me! Completing me. Perfecting me. Making me comfortable in my own skin. Loved this. I will be sharing!

Some of my greatest trials with those closest to me have resulted in beautiful changes within our relationships. More open communication, more awareness of one another, more intentional love, serving one another with joy. It may seem like a small victory, but it really is massive and powerful. God is truly an awesome Daddy!

Suzie, You always give us such good food for thought. Trials are a part of all of our lives and in my case with those trials comes loneliness and sadness because our children have chosen not to be a part of those life lessons God so masterfully has put in our lives. But through reading His Word and interacting with dear friends and neighbors and online friends, God has shown me how to continue to grow. Thank you for sharing your life with us Suzie! I feel if I met you on the street we could stop and have a cup of coffee together and continue to share.

I was surprised that I held on for so long! God has been good to help me, encourage me and provide for me during times when I was ready to give up. Knowing that my honor and worth come for Him has helped me leave insecurity behind.

I know God has us in His hands and He cares for us. Sometimes, though, it surprises me when He answers in an awesome way. As the mother of five grown children who have families of their own, there are numerous times when God shows up in the midst of the storm. I see miracle after miracle take place. It is truly a faith builder for me.

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